For several years, Pastor Gary Simons, senior pastor of Cornerstone Bible Fellowship, has been an approved instructor for the Walk Thru the Bible, a Christian ministry founded by Bruce Wilkinson, to assist educators, Sunday School teachers and pastors to more effectively teach the Bible and its principles to the students under their care.

Next week, for the first time in about four years, Pastor Simons is bringing Walk Thru the Bible’s Teaching with Style seminar to the Island, to be held at CedarBridge Academy on February 19.

“People were asking for it [to be taught],” said Pastor Simons, “especially Sunday School teachers.”

Taking up an entire day, Teaching with Style is a six-part seminar that focuses on eliminating one of the greatest challenges every teacher faces boring their students.

According to the Walk Thru the Bible website (www.walkthru.org): “Teaching with Style will challenge your leaders, teachers, and anyone else who wants to improve their communication skills. This unique, thought-provoking seminar will teach participants how to communicate God’s Word in God’s way.

“When they completely grasp the seminar concepts and incorporate them into their lives, their teaching will improve dramatically regardless of how good it was before. They’ll learn how to make God’s style their style in every situation.”

Developed originally by Dr. Wikinson and Dr. Howard Hendricks, Pastor Simons has been teaching the Teaching with Style seminar for more than 12 years across the globe.

Pastor Simons has found that the principles taught transcend culture and ethnicity and are useful for just about anyone who finds themselves in a position where they need to communicate with others.

The first portion of the seminar is Universal Principles which focuses on how we teach and motivate, and help to defeat giants like inhibition, intimidation and indifference, while the second portion, Biblical Characteristics, looks specifically at how God communicates to people, as seen in scripture.

Understanding that teaching needs to be an extension of what is internal, the third part, Internal Beliefs, looks at, “the hard burning basics that should overflow from within,” as Pastor Simons explained.

Extremely practical, the last three sections of the Teaching with Style seminar gives attendees real examples of how they can apply what they are learning to their own classrooms. In section four, External Behaviours, they look at the creative use of the body and how to get out of your own comfort zone in teaching.

Part five looks at Personality and how teachers have to take on different roles for the sake of the student.

“We can use our personality to work for or against us,” Pastor Simons explained. Finally, the last section of the seminar, Methodology, focuses on what methods Jesus used in teaching the masses and his disciples, as well as how to incorporate different methods, like discussion and drama, in your own teaching, as well as how to use your voice, gestures and more to motivate students.

“It’s the type of seminar that is very practical and can be applied right away,” Pastor Simons said.

“People who come are going to leave with some practical ways to engage their students. They will also become more effective communicators. It is good for just about anyone who is communicating.”

Each attendee receives a detailed workbook, which also includes seven days of further study, like a devotional, going over each of the six sections from the seminar.

In addition, those in the Bermuda Educational system can receive six-hours of continuing education units, as the course has been approved by the Bermuda Educators Council. A certificate will be mailed after the completion of the seminar.

Spaces are limited and those wishing to attend are asked to register as soon as possible. The cost for the day is $45 per person, and you can register by calling Cornerstone Bible Fellowship at 295-9640 or online at www.cbfbermuda.org.

Pastor Simons brings Teaching with Style back to the Island

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